Ben & Jerry's brings flavor to environmental initiative

April 08, 2002
by DOUGLAS QUENQUA

WASHINGTON: Ice cream makers Ben & Jerry's, The Dave Matthews Band,
Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), representatives from Saveourenvironment.org,
and a handful of scientists crowded into a room at the National Press
Club last week to launch a national campaign against global warming.

WASHINGTON: Ice cream makers Ben & Jerry's, The Dave Matthews Band,
Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), representatives from Saveourenvironment.org,
and a handful of scientists crowded into a room at the National Press
Club last week to launch a national campaign against global warming.

The centerpiece of the multi-faceted campaign is the debut of new Ben &
Jerry's flavor One Sweet Whirled (named after the 1993 Dave Matthews
Band environmental ballad, "One Sweet World"). The goal is to make
Congress further legislate the release of damaging toxins into the
atmosphere, while getting Americans to pledge that they will reduce
their personal carbon dioxide emissions by 200 pounds each in 2002.

The coalition has built a website, OneSweetWhirled.org, where people can
go to take the personal pledge or send customized letters to their
legislators. The site also suggests actions people can take to reduce
their contribution to global warming.

The highlight of the campaign, however, is the interactive exhibit that
will accompany the Dave Matthews Band on its 15-city tour this
summer.

The exhibit will teach fans about global warming, while also giving them
the chance to take the pledge, write letters to Congress and, of course,
taste the ice cream.

Ben Cohen, half of the Ben & Jerry's partnership, announced at the press
conference that his company will be taking steps to significantly reduce
its own carbon dioxide emissions over the coming years. Dave Matthews
himself claimed that his band would offset any environmental damage
caused by its own massive touring entourage by planting trees and
supporting alternate energy sources.

Unilever purchased Ben & Jerry's for $326 million in 2000. GCI
Group, which does PR for Unilever companies Lipton and Slim Fast, won a
competitive pitch in February to coordinate the campaign.

Nike Communications, Ben & Jerry's agency of record, did long-lead work
for the launch.